April NUI Galway Hold Public Lecture on the Irish Army’s Battle of Jadotville, 1961

Commandant Leo Quinlan will deliver a public lecture in the Moore Institute at NUI Galway on the experience of his father, Commandant Pat Quinlan, in the historic Battle of Jadotville, 1961. The lecture will take place on Tuesday, 9 April, at 5pm.

The Battle of Jadotville took place in the Congo and represents the largest military action carried out by the Irish Army against a foreign army since the founding of the State. 155 Irish soldiers (some as young as 15 and 16 years of age) fought 3,500 soldiers of the Katanga Army and survived. This action is the topic of a number of books, articles, radio and TV documentaries and a 2016 film currently showing on Netflix, The Siege of Jadotville.

This talk on the Battle of Jadotville describes various actions by the men of ‘A’ Company during their six-month tour of duty in the Congo and provides the audience with information on this historic encounter not generally in the public domain, based on Commandant Pat Quinlan’s memoirs.

The speaker, Leo Quinlan, was commissioned as a Lieutenant and served in the Irish Army for 25 years, and overseas with the United Nations. During his army service he served with many Jadotville veterans. After leaving the army he has worked as a consultant/project leader for the European Commission in 47 countries. He lives in Barna, Co. Galway, where he works as a professional landscape artist with his own Art Gallery.

Professor Daniel Carey, Director of the Moore Institute, NUI Galway, commented: “The Battle of Jadotville is truly historic and it remains remembered as a remarkable demonstration of heroism. Leo Quinlan is in a unique position to tell the story of this episode through his father’s involvement and recollections.”

For more information contact Daniel Carey, Moore Institute, NUI Galway, at Daniel.carey@nuigalway.ie or 091 493083.